Sharpening the commercial edge
The case for well-managed council commercial activity is one that needs to be defended if we want a mature and sustainable local state, argues Jonathan Werran.
Councils receive extra COVID support as lockdown easing delayed
15/06/2021 The Government has announced additional support to help Birmingham, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Liverpool City Region and Warrington tackle the Delta variant of COVID-19. |
COVID cases on the rise in Greater Manchester and Lancashire
09/06/2021 Additional COVID-19 measures, including surge testing, tracing, and isolation support, are to be deployed across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. |
Health spending rises by record quarter
01/06/2021 Spending on taxpayer-funded health services rose by a record 25% to £220bn last year as the NHS battled with pandemic costs, according to latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). |
Surrey becomes first county in England to provide free period products
28/05/2021 Surrey County Council has become the first local authority in England to provide free period products. |
CQC launches new ‘dynamic and flexible’ strategy
27/05/2021 The health and social care regulator, Care Quality Commission (CQC), has launched a new strategy which places more of an emphasis on how well local health and care systems are working and addressing local challenges. |
Councils to pilot new self-isolation support scheme
24/05/2021 Nine local authorities have been chosen to pilot new ways of supporting people needing to self-isolate. |
New measures rolled out across COVID variant hotspots
20/05/2021 Surge testing and additional vaccines are being made available to local authorities experiencing a rise in the Indian COVID variant, the Government has announced. |
Hancock warns 86 council areas have five or more cases of Indian variant
18/05/2021 There are 86 local authority areas with five or more confirmed cases of the Indian variant of COVID-19, the health secretary has said. |
Council chiefs warn lack of social care reform could ‘destabilise’ health care
14/05/2021 Local authority leaders have warned that the absence of a long-term, fully funded plan for social care could destabilise other health and care reforms. |
More than 100 leisure centres could go bust, DCN warns
13/05/2021 More than 100 leisure centres in England could go bust due to the coronavirus crisis, district councils have warned. |
Multi-million funding boost to tackle inequalities in accessing sport
13/05/2021 An extra £20m will be invested by Sport England to tackle inequalities in accessing sport and physical activities. |
Green social prescribing projects chosen for funding
13/05/2021 Funding has been awarded to 10 green social prescribing projects to help communities recover from COVID-19. |
London council offers paid leave for miscarriage sufferers
12/05/2021 Barking and Dagenham Council has announced it will give paid leave for any of its staff who suffer the loss of an unborn baby. |
Council chiefs call for care ‘fix’ after lockdown impacts mobility of millions
11/05/2021 The ability of one in four older people to do everyday activities has worsened during the pandemic, research from the charity Age UK has revealed. |
'Health is made at home, hospitals are for repairs'
06/05/2021 Lord Nigel Crisp says coalitions of local interest have a vital role when it comes to improving lives. Councils as guardians of places will always have a key part to play, ‘whatever the future arrangements for managing health and social care’. |
Public call for underlying inequalities laid bare by COVID to be addressed
05/05/2021 More than three quarters of UK adults are calling for action to address the underlying inequalities exposed by COVID, a new poll has revealed. |
Government told to reconsider plans to stop face mask requirement in school
05/05/2021 Scientists have joined with unions, parents and students to urge Government to reconsider plans to stop requiring children to wear face coverings at school. |
Shielding scheme took too long to identify up to 800,000, says PAC
20/04/2021 MPs have hit out at the Government’s ‘quickly drawn up’ COVID-19 shielding programme for taking too long to identify up to 800,000 people who may have missed out on help. |
COVID-19 self-test kits rolled out across Wales
16/04/2021 The Welsh government is encouraging all those who cannot work from home to access lateral flow self-test kits as they are rolled out across Wales. |
Lockdown rules eased in Scotland ahead of schedule
16/04/2021 New rules governing travel and outdoor socialising in Scotland have come into force today. |
Pandemic drives increase in ‘stress-smoking’
15/04/2021 COVID-19 has led to more than half of smokers ‘stress-smoking’ more and 10% lighting up again after quitting, a survey suggests. |
Largest surge testing operation deployed in South London
13/04/2021 The largest surge testing operation to date will take place across parts of South London where the variant first identified in South Africa has been found. |
Surge testing in Bolton announced
31/03/2021 Additional testing is being deployed in Bolton where one case of the COVID-19 variant first identified in South Africa has been identified. |
Funding for addiction services slashed by £26m
29/03/2021 Doctors have called on the Government to invest £43m into youth addiction services to prevent lifelong addiction. |
Welsh government starts to re-open tourism sector
26/03/2021 Wales’ tourism sector will be able to start re-opening from tomorrow as the stay-local rule is lifted, first minister Mark Drakeford has announced. |
COVID-19: 1.5 million potential years of life have been lost
23/03/2021 Up to 1.5 million potential years of life have been lost due to COVID-19, new research published today has revealed. |
COVID-19: How has the past year affected council staff?
23/03/2021 Council staff have been left feeling ‘undervalued and overwhelmed’ this past year as a result of COVID-19, according to an exclusive survey by LocalGov. |
Rebuilding the patient care backlog with digital
22/03/2021 Dr Simon Bourne argues that councils can empower residents to benefit from care remotely and create a better outlook for communities by putting digital infrastructure in place. |
Changing Futures programme extended for three years
19/03/2021 A programme to help people facing multiple issues has been extended with an extra £18m new investment. |
County council approves Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone pilot
17/03/2021 Oxford’s proposed Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) pilot has been formally approved by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet for launch in August. |
Homeless people and rough sleepers to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccine
12/03/2021 Local teams have been given permission to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to homeless people or those sleeping rough. |
How technology can help transform person-centred care
10/03/2021 Jason Harries explains why technology is the obvious choice for keeping people connected and enabling the best possible outcomes for each individual. |
Councils urged to build community spirit to help reduce health inequalities
05/03/2021 A toolkit to help local areas increase their community spirit beyond the pandemic has been published by the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH). |
Budget 2021: Failure to fix 'broken' social care system
04/03/2021 The chancellor has faced criticism for failing to address the social care crisis in his Budget yesterday. |
Welsh public services receive £682m cash boost
02/03/2021 Wales’ public services will receive a cash boost of more than £682m to support their COVID efforts over the coming months, the Welsh government has said. |
Six cases of new Brazil COVID variant identified
01/03/2021 Up to six cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in Manaus, Brazil have been detected in the UK, the national health body has confirmed. |
Households of school aged children eligible for rapid COVID tests
01/03/2021 All households of school aged children will get two rapid tests per person, per week, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced. |
London council to investigate possible cancer cluster
25/02/2021 Barking and Dagenham LBC has apologised for failing to investigate a woman’s concerns about a possible cancer cluster in the borough. |
Councils call for ‘further clarity’ on easing lockdown
23/02/2021 Councils ‘will do all they can’ to support the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of the national lockdown, but the Government must provide more funding and clarity, local government leaders say. |
Think tank calls for collaboration in face of ‘stark’ health inequalities
22/02/2021 A think tank has called on health and care organisations across London to continue working together closely after the pandemic in order to tackle health inequalities across the capital. |
Multi-million pound funding to tackle Long COVID
18/02/2021 Four research studies have been awarded £18.5m to explore the causes and effective treatment of Long COVID. |
Councils call for extra cash for expanded shielding list
17/02/2021 Councils have called for more access to data and extra cash to deal with sharp spike in the number of people shielding from coronavirus. |
Launch of COVID-19 vaccine uptake plan
15/02/2021 The Government has highlighted how vaccination buses and short films aimed at people with a learning disability are helping to boost vaccine uptake at a local level. |
Disabled people accounted for six in 10 deaths from COVID-19 last year
12/02/2021 Figures have shown that six out of 10 people who died from COVID-19 last year were disabled. |
Seven in ten local authorities offering rapid testing
10/02/2021 Rapid testing is now being offered by more than 70% of local authorities in England for people unable to work from home, latest figures show. |
Surge testing expanded to other areas
08/02/2021 More local authorities will be deploying surge testing in a bid to stop the spread of the new COVID-19 variants. |
Tackling mistrust about vaccines
04/02/2021 Dr Justin Varney looks at how Birmingham is working to tackle the ‘layers upon layers of mistrust’ among ethnic minority communities that is ‘now playing out in vaccine hesitancy’. |
Councillors urged to become 'cancer champions'
04/02/2021 A network of Councillor Cancer Champions teams have been launched to help local communities stay healthy. |
Over 10 million people receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in UK
04/02/2021 The Government has reported that almost one in five adults in the UK have had the COVID-19 vaccine, a significant milestone for the largest vaccination programme in British history. |
Local authorities to roll-out surge testing for South African COVID variant
02/02/2021 Up to 350,000 people will be tested for the South African COVID variant, after cases were discovered that could not be traced back to international travel. |
Leading Greenwich through crisis
28/01/2021 Cllr Danny Thorpe outlines how Greenwich RLBC changed its processes at pace to support residents throughout COVID-19 – at times branching out into the unknown. |
Council leaders react to 'heartbreaking' 100,000 coronavirus deaths
27/01/2021 The Prime Minister has offered his ‘deepest condolences’ after figures revealed that more than 100,000 have now lost their lives due to COVID-19. |
How to better support those most at risk of suicide during coronavirus recovery
27/01/2021 As Samaritans launches a new handbook for men’s wellbeing services, Joe Potter explains why it’s crucial that preventative support is prioritised within any COVID recovery plan. |
The Bay – a pivot to purpose
26/01/2021 Tim Pope and Sam Plum explain why local government reorganisation can be used as a catalyst for a new generation of councils that reflect their local economies and can lead the recovery. |
Councils secure funding to help boost take up of COVID-19 vaccine
25/01/2021 Over £23m has been allocated to 60 councils to encourage high-risk groups to have the COVID-19 vaccination. |
New funding to improve life of mothers and babies
22/01/2021 The 19 projects chosen to share a £7.6m fund to reduce health inequalities among new mothers and babies have been announced by the Government. |
Ten new COVID-19 mass vaccination centres opened
18/01/2021 Ten new mass vaccination centres are due to open in England this week with a million over-80s invited to receive the vaccine. |
Lords call for urgent action to improve health in old age
15/01/2021 The Government will miss its pledge of delivering five extra years of healthy living by 2035 without urgent action, Lords Committee has argued today. |
Six areas secure funding to develop local health partnerships
14/01/2021 Six areas in England have been chosen to take part in a programme aimed at tackling health inequalities and improving the wellbeing of local communities. |
Council chiefs call for mental health services funding
13/01/2021 Local authority leaders have urged the Government to ensure that councils’ mental health services receive the funding they require to meet ‘unmet demand’ in response to a landmark reform of mental health laws. |
Council chiefs welcome ‘largest vaccination programme in British history’
12/01/2021 Local authority leaders have welcomed the Government’s announcement of the COVID-19 vaccination plan, but argue councils need more information to ensure everyone receives their jab promptly. |
Commission proposes third option on integrated care
11/01/2021 The Health Devolution Commission (HDC) has called for a third 'health and prosperity' model of Integrated Care Systems. |
Mass testing for asymptomatic COVID-19 rolled out to all local authorities
11/01/2021 All local authorities will be able to offer asymptomatic community testing to critical workers from this week. |
Councils asked to 'redouble efforts' on rough sleeping
08/01/2021 English councils have been asked to ‘redouble their efforts’ to help accommodate people sleeping rough, with the Government finding an additional £10m funding. |
Council ensures homeless people are offered COVID-19 vaccine
06/01/2021 Homeless people in Oldham are being given priority for COVID-19 vaccinations in a bid to stem the spread of the disease. |
Councils welcome announcement of third national lockdown
05/01/2021 Councils have urged residents to follow the guidelines for the third national lockdown in a bid to stop the continued spread of coronavirus. |
Major incidents over COVID declared
04/01/2021 Essex, Oxfordshire and Berkshire have declared major incidents amid fears the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases could overwhelm health services. |
Council backs calls for new national lockdown
04/01/2021 Liverpool City Council has called on the Government to introduce a new national lockdown to stop the rapid spread of the new strain of coronavirus. |
New COVID-19 vaccine rolled out
04/01/2021 The first people in the world are set to receive the Oxford University/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine today as the NHS expands COVID-19 vaccination programmes across the UK. |
York council issues warning after police hand out ‘shocking’ number of COVID fines
23/12/2020 City of York police have issued what they describe as a ‘shocking’ number of fines to tier 3 residents who visited the city last weekend. |
Liverpool testing sites reach ‘hard to reach’ young people
23/12/2020 Two new testing sites in Liverpool have helped reach young people who have been reluctant to come forward for testing, the city council says. |
Council chiefs call for funds to support businesses in Tier 4 areas
22/12/2020 Local authority leaders have urged the Government to meet all of the extra costs councils incur during the pandemic. |
Babies ‘largely invisible’ in pandemic response
21/12/2020 Babies and young children have been forgotten in the Government’s response to the pandemic, health visitors warn. |
Professor Whitty warns of health inequalities across country
18/12/2020 Deprived areas have higher levels of ill-health and disease, a report has warned today. |
'Bitter disappointment' greets tiers review
17/12/2020 Millions more people are facing tougher restrictions from this weekend in an effort to curb a rise in COVID-19 cases in the east and south-east of England. |
Testing rolled out to areas at ‘significant risk’ of moving into Tier 3
17/12/2020 Local authorities in the worst-affected Tier 2 areas will now be offered community testing in addition to Tier 3 areas, the Government has announced. |
Calls to break down weekly vaccine figures by local authority
17/12/2020 The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for the weekly coronavirus vaccination figures to be broken down by region and local authority in the future. |
Top 100: Our most popular local government stories of 2020
16/12/2020 Although the dispute over council pay caused the most stir in the local government sector this year, the impact of dealing with the pandemic obviously dominated the headlines as well. |
Government urged to 'Build Back Fairer’ in new Marmot review
15/12/2020 A new generation of children and young people face shorter lives and worsening health, a new report has warned. |
London enters tier three restrictions
14/12/2020 The Government’s timetable for COVID-19 tier reviews has been pre-empted with the imposition of extra restrictions on London, Essex and Hertfordshire. |
Hancock names Tier 3 local authorities to roll-out community testing
14/12/2020 Nearly 70 local authorities in Tier 3 will start community testing programmes from today to help drive down transmission rates. |
Tracing COVID-19 less successful in deprived areas, analysis reveals
07/12/2020 Tracing positive COVID-19 cases and their contacts is less successful in more deprived local authority areas when compared to the least deprived areas, according to a new analysis. |
Care home workers take vaccine priority over NHS
04/12/2020 Care home workers have been given top priority in the COVID-19 vaccination programme following a revision of Government guidance. |
Tier 3 areas offered community testing support
01/12/2020 The Government has invited areas in tier 3 to apply for support for community testing as part of the effort to detect asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. |
More than 200 councils launch local contract tracing schemes
27/11/2020 Council leaders have welcomed the news that 200 local contact tracing partnerships have now been set up across England. |
Hancock unveils England’s tier restrictions
26/11/2020 Only three areas in England - Cornwall, the Isle of Wight, and the Isle of Scilly - will be placed into the lowest level of local restrictions from next next. |
PPE supply for care workers was 'inadequate'
24/11/2020 The social care sector was ‘left to fend for itself’ during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an investigation into supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE). |
Tougher tier system unveiled under COVID Winter Plan
24/11/2020 Every area of England will be placed into a tougher tier-system under the Government’s COVID Winter Plan, the prime minister has announced. |
First mass testing programme rolled out in Wales
23/11/2020 Wales’s first COVID-19 mass testing programme is being rolled out in Merthyr Tydfil Borough. |
Council chiefs call for ‘greater local oversight’ of test and trace
20/11/2020 Local authority leaders have called for ‘greater local oversight and involvement’ when it comes to COVID-19 testing and tracing. |
Derby council ‘delighted’ arena to be COVID-19 vaccination centre
20/11/2020 The leader of Derby City Council has welcomed the decision to consider making Derby Arena a temporary COVID-19 vaccination centre. |
COVID-19 testing pilot for care homes launched
16/11/2020 The Government has announced a new pilot that will see friends and family members of some care home residents in Hampshire, Cornwall and Devon offered regular COVID-19 tests. |
Councils bid for vaccine role
16/11/2020 Councils have made a bid to play a key role in distributing the new coronavirus vaccine. |
People with learning disabilities six times more likely to die from COVID-19
13/11/2020 People with a learning disability were up to six times more likely to die from COVID-19 in the first wave of the pandemic than the general population, a report has found. |
Commission calls for action to reduce mental health inequalities
12/11/2020 The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted existing inequalities in mental health, a new report has warned. |
Think tank calls for new health and social care tax
11/11/2020 A new health and social care tax raising £17bn should be the centrepiece of sweeping tax increases to raise £40bn a year, according to a new report from think-tank the Resolution Foundation. |
More than 50 councils to receive rapid COVID-19 tests
10/11/2020 More than half a million rapid COVID-19 tests will be sent to public health authorities this week as part of Government plans to roll-out mass testing for the virus. |
Councils call for clear lockdown exit strategy
04/11/2020 The Government has been urged to work with councils to develop a clear lockdown exit strategy by the Local Government Association (LGA). |
HIV diagnoses in gay and bisexual men at ‘lowest point’ in 20 years
04/11/2020 The number of gay and bisexual men with newly diagnosed HIV has fallen to the lowest point in two decades, according to public health experts. |
Liverpool to pilot mass coronavirus testing
03/11/2020 The first pilot of whole city testing for COVID-19 is to be carried out in Liverpool. |
This issue of Public Property examines how how flexible workspaces can lead the way in regeneration for local authorities, Why local authority intervention is key to successful urban regeneration schemes and if the Government’s challenge of embracing beauty is an opportunity for communities.
The March issue also takes a closer look at Blackburn with Darwen Council's first digital health hub to help people gain control over health and care services.
